7820 Dinmore Manor

7820 Dinmore Manor - The Blog

This blog will follow the heavy overhaul of 7820 through to its return to steam. The chassis is being overhauled at Tyseley Locomotive Works whilst the boiler is being overhauled at Ian Riley's workshops.
We are working hard every weekend to bring together the hundreds of small pieces that require refurbishing to get the loco back into working order. Follow us to keep up todate with the weekly progress and who knows if you like the look of what you see you may even be tempted to join us and help put 7820 back in action.

Not to be outdone, our other Colchester lathe is used to
trial a mandrel designed to assist in the machining of the
outside diameter of bushes. Each bush has to be carefully
tailored to fit the component and, to ensure the correct interference
fit is achieved, requires repeat adjustment of it's size

The propane torch is lit to commence heating the bush for fitting to the beam

The bush is gently heated

Rotated to get an even distribution of heat

Finally to a red hot temperature

The bush is quickly slipped onto the journal of the brake beam,
the heat having expanded it to be a slide fit and the retaining
washer is placed against the bush end

The retaining nut is screwed up to the washer

and quickly tightened to apply pressure to the bush

With the retaining nut tightened, the bush will not shrink
away from the thrust face washer holding this firmly in place.
Six bushes have been fitted to the three brake beams and
these are now complete ready for cleaning and painting.
Just three more parts of the numerous parts of the brake
gear assembly are ready!

The brake hangers which support the brake beams

are also being re-bushed and are here seen cleaned and painted with primer

Meanwhile, in a galaxy far, far away, the main brake beam

is being bushed and machined and new tender pipework is in manufacture